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Albert Pratt (New Earth)
Young Pratt was always very intelligent, yet somewhat under-educated when it came to nuclear physics. After the incident with Starman at the Manhattan Project site , he started studying nuclear physics and gained his Ph.D to become a brilliant scientist. Later, he took the job of nuclear physics professor at Alma Mater Calvin College. In the early 50s, Pratt retired along with the rest of the JSA, after the group was urged by to remove their masks and work for the government. Pratt then revealed himself as The Atom to his sweetheart Mary James, as well as her parents, and then proposed to her. They eventually married and had a happy life together. Years later, Pratt came out of retirement to rejoin the JSA. He and the rest of the JSA teamed up with the Justice League of America for the first time to battle a group known as the Crime Champions. On this adventure, Pratt met Ray Palmer, the modern-day Atom. Al continued battling evil alongside the JSA and his best friend Wildcat, and Pratt's bravery inspired his godson Albert Rothstein, the grandson of Cyclotron (who looked up to Al as a father figure), to use his powers for good as the superhero known as Nuklon. Atom joined the JSA and other heroes in the Crisis on Infinite Earths event and during the battle, Wildcat was severely wounded. Seeing his friend crippled greatly affected Pratt, who wondered if he was getting too old for the hero game. Later, the JSA were drawn into Limbo to do eternal battle with the forces of evil to prevent Ragnarok, and after only a few years, Atom and the rest of the JSA returned to Earth and Al was reunited with his beloved Mary. Tragedy Pratt's wife became pregnant and the couple were expecting a son. A great enemy of the Atom, and the JSA, deduced that Pratt's child would inherit his atomic based powers and could be a tool in his plot to dominate the world. When Mary gave birth, Vandal Savage stole the child and killed Mary Pratt. When Al discovered the news of her death, he was utterly devastated. He stayed close to his friends, Wildcat, Jay Garrick and Alan Scott after this tragedy. Despite his reluctance to get back into crime fighting, Pratt joined his teammates in battling a scheme concocted by their old foe, Ultra-Humanite. He stayed with the JSA when the group reassembled. Death Years later, Pratt joined his fellow JSA members in taking part in the event known as Zero Hour. Most of the JSA went to the realm known as Vanishing Point, where they were ambushed by the being known as Extant. Extant taunted his foes with boasts about how he could control time, and as usual, the hot-headed Pratt hurled himself at Extant. The time-controlling villain fired a blast of energy and killed Atom instantly. He then proceeded to eliminate the ranks of the JSA. Waverider rescued the heroes and took them and Pratt's body back to Earth. Pratt was buried in the superhero cemetery known as Valhalla. Legacy To honor his godfather, Albert Rothstein took up a costume similar to Pratt's and adopted the name Atom Smasher to honor the Atom's legacy. But the responsibility was too much for Albert, and he eventually went rogue. It was later discovered that the hero, Damage, was Pratt's lost son, but sadly, Al was dead by the time this was discovered and Grant grew to hate his father due to the man's absence throughout his life. Lately Grant has been wearing his father's mask to cover his recently disfigured face and has joined the JSA filling his father's place. Blackest Night Pratt's body was later reanimated by Black Hand as a member of the Black Lanterns. Like all Black Lanterns, he was sent to kill the person his death most affected: his son Grant. Pratt's attempt at murder was stopped by Ray Palmer. After the crisis was over, Pratt's corpse was returned to Valhalla. Afterlife In the afterlife, Al befriended David Knight. David brought his brother, the next Starman, Jack Knight, to a banquet in limbo attended by Atom and several other deceased mystery men. | Powers = * : A mystical radiation released upon destruction of Ian Karkull has increased JSA members lifespans, including Atom. * : A long life of heroics and adventures has given Al Pratt an abnormal physiology which lends him his atomic abilities. At first he gained resistance to radiation due to a dying villain, later he gained full atomic physical abilities when he was caught in the fallout of an explosion. * * * * * : The Atom focuses his radioactive energy into his fists adding destructive force to his punches. | Abilities = * ** *** * ** * * : He speaks Spanish. | Weaknesses = * Overconfidence * Short Temper: Often bullied in the university due his short stature, Atom frequently lacks patience. | Equipment = * Dimensional Vibrator Belt: Albert's own invention that allowed him to travel between parallel Earths. | Transportation = * Atomobile | Weapons = | Notes = * Al Pratt's legacy lives on in the form of Al Rothstein, who renamed himself Atom-Smasher in honor of his godfather. The Atom legacy is also carried on by the young hero Damage, who is the son he never knew he had. | Trivia = * Al Pratt is also known as Little Superman, Pocket Dynamo and the Mighty Mite. * Atom had very few powered enemies; the vast majority were common criminals. * Pratt replaced his original face-covering costume with the head-fin-and-half-mask costume inspired by Cyclotron, after his first get-up was destroyed in a nuclear explosion. | Wikipedia = Atom (Al Pratt) | Links = }} Category:Retired Characters Category:Dimensional Travel